Alberto Contador

Spaniard drops out of race that made him famous, citing fever

(Newser) -
Diminished by a fever and still reeling from crashes on the opening two days of the race, two-time champion Alberto Contador pulled out of the Tour de France during the toughest Pyrenean stage on Sunday, reports the AP . Slightly more than 60 miles from the end of Stage 9 from...
More »

Alberto Contador to be banned from racing for 2 years: appeals court

(Newser) -
Three-time Tour de France winner Alberto Contador has been found guilty of doping during his 2010 victory, prompting a two-year ban on racing. The Spanish cyclist will also likely lose his title from that year—in addition, perhaps, to seeing all his racing wins in 2011 annulled. Contador tested positive...
More »

Sanchez wins ninth stage, moves into second overall

(Newser) -
Spain's Luis Leon Sanchez won the Tour de France’s ninth stage today, as France's Thomas Voeckler came in second, allowing him to take the lead overall. Sanchez, who moved into second place overall, said “it was really a hard stage today,” and the AP notes...
More »

Pile-up costs Alberto Contador precious minute

(Newser) -
A woman standing too close to the roadway triggered a massive pile-up during stage 1 of the Tour de France, leaving dozens of bikes and bodies sprawled over the road after a rider hit her elbow and knocked over the rest of the pack like dominoes. The crash cost defending...
More »

... Riding without a bike light

(Newser) -
Even the pros can fall victim to a routine traffic stop: Tour de France champion Alberto Contador was pulled over by a French cop today for cycling down the Galibier pass in the Alps without lights. The officer told the three-time Tour champion that he needed to be visible on...
More »

Spaniard has 10 days to appeal decision over drug test

(Newser) -
Alberto Contador is expected to lose his title as the winner of the 2010 Tour de France and be banned from cycling for a full year, the Telegraph reports. The decision is not yet official, but the Spanish Cycling Federation has recommended the punishment, meaning that Contador has 10 days...
More »

Spain's Alberto Contador may lose title

(Newser) -
Tour de France winner Alberto Contador has tested positive for a banned substance and may be stripped of his title. The cyclist tested positive for "a tiny amount" of the banned drug clenbuterol on the final day of the race, according to his spokesman, who blames the result on...
More »

Spaniard makes mark as cycling's new star

(Newser) -
He may have clinched yesterday, but Alberto Contador crossed over the finish line today, winning his third Tour de France and heralding the arrival of a new cycling superstar as seven-time champion Lance Armstrong finished the race for the last time. Mark Cavendish of Britain led a sprint to win...
More »

Spaniard secures victory ahead of tomorrow's finale

(Newser) -
Alberto Contador locked up his third Tour de France title in four years today after retaining the yellow jersey in the next-to-last stage. (Today was the last competitive day of racing ahead of the short finale tomorrow.) The 27-year-old Spaniard held on to his razor-thin lead over Andy Schleck...
More »

Spanish cyclist eclipses Armstrong in second Tour triumph

(Newser) -
Alberto Contador won the Tour de France for a second time today, and Lance Armstrong capped his return to the race with an impressive third-place finish. Mark Cavendish of Britain became the first rider to win six Tour stages in a sprint, collecting his sixth stage win after the 101....
More »

(Newser) -
Alberto Contador finished a respectable fourth in today’s stage of the Tour de France, giving him an all-but-certain lock on first place overall, Reuters reports. Only tomorrow's ride remains, and riders traditionally don't jockey for position on the final day. Lance Armstrong, meanwhile, rode well and will likely keep...
More »

(Newser) -
The Tour de France still has three days left, but nothing short of a two-wheeled miracle will give Lance Armstrong his eighth title, writes Diane Pucin in the Los Angeles Times. Armstrong is now in fourth place, and about the best he can do is push hard in the final...
More »

(Newser) -
Lance Armstrong is in third place going into the 10th stage of the Tour de France today—eight seconds behind the leader, and just two seconds behind Astana teammate Alberto Contador. The two cyclists have faced endless questions about a rift, reports the BBC, and it's unclear who will lead...
More »

(Newser) -
Lance Armstrong suffered a late setback today as a teammate made a last-minute push in the seventh stage of the Tour de France, the New York Times reports. Armstrong's Astana teammate Alfredo Contador didn't win the longest stage of the Tour—Brice Feillu did—and Rinaldo Nocentini still holds the...
More »

(Newser) -
The Tour de France got under way today, and the BBC runs down some of the cyclists to watch. It all starts with Lance Armstrong, of course, who, "for better or worse," will grab most of the attention. Others:

7-time champ the talk of the town as he prepares to try for an 8th

(Newser) -
Fans and the press have barely seen Lance Armstrong ahead of the Tour de France launch tomorrow, but he’s still the talk of the town, the Melbourne Herald-Sun reports. The cycling champ is aiming to pull off one of the biggest comebacks in history by adding an eighth win...
More »

Alberto Contador takes home the yellow jersey

(Newser) -
Spanish cyclist Alberto Contador donned the final yellow jersey on the Champs Elysées yesterday after winning the 94th tour de France. The 24-year-old underdog—who was not even captain of his team—was bolstered by his climbing skills on this year's particularly mountainous route.
More »

Even performance by new leader is called "suspicious"

(Newser) -
The Tour de France limped along yesterday under a growing storm of criticism and calls that the event be halted. Three top riders were booted in 30 hours this week in a growing doping scandal. Even the performance by the race's new leader, Spain's Alberto Contador, was called "very...
More »

Brit rider accuses Rasmussen of dodging anti-doping officials

(Newser) -
Tour de France leader Michael Rasmussen is "shrouded in suspicion" for failing to tell officials where he was during anti-doping tests, claims Brit cyclist David Millar. "It is unacceptable of a rider of his stature and responsibility," said Millar, who was himself once chastised for using performance...
More »